About the Book

The mighty epic of Masada tells of Jews who preferred liberty to life itself. Their story centers on the bleak fortress of Masada in the Judean Desert after the conquest of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Holy Temple by the Romans in 70 CE. Here, in a last stand, Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes laid aside the differences that had crippled their resistance to the Romans and united in their zeal for God and country.

Their leader was Eleazar ben Ya’ir, one of the great freedom fighters of Jewish history. This story brings to vivid life people who might have taken part in this great episode of Jewish history. It tells of the bridal couple, Adin and Ohada, from distant Babylonia; the winsome Urzillah from Nabatea, child of the caravan trails of the East; and Justus from Alexandria in Egypt, with his faithful wife, Sara, a convert to Judaism. Survivors from Jerusalem may well have included boys such as Iddo, of the priestly tribe; his friend and rival Aviel; and little Yitzhak, orphaned by the Romans and protected by Hannah, his grandmother and only surviving relative.

Faith and courage belonged to them all—as they held a mighty Roman army at bay for three years. Even in their extremity they practiced and treasured the rites of their religion—blessing the new moon, circumcising the newborn infant, bathing in the mikveh (the ritual bath), and reciting the daily prayers.

When all hope was gone they resolved to die as free men, women, and children. In turning their swords against themselves they ultimately denied victory to the Romans and the general Flavius Silva, for their memory has prevailed over that of their oppressors.

Author Bio

Sophie Greenspan (1906–90) was the first English-language broadcaster for the underground Voice of Israel. She is the author of Westward with Fremont: The Story of Solomon Carvalho (JPS, 2018). Unada (Unada Grace Gliewe) is the illustrator of over thirty children’s books, including Ricky’s Boots, Andrew’s Amazing Boxes, and Actually, I Used to Be a Princess.

Table of Contents

Prologue One Masada Two Between Heaven and Earth Three Yeshu and Aviel Four “Pax Romana” Five Urzillah, Child of the Negev Six Come to the Fair! Seven Mortar Eight The Ingathering of the Exiles Nine Sicarii! Ten The New Moon Eleven The Last Days Twelve Iddo Helps Thirteen Rome Is Impatient Fourteen Herod’s Palace Fifteen “How Can I Be Strong . . . ?” Sixteen The Gods Have Spoken! Seventeen Is There Hope? Eighteen Is There One God? Nineteen Free at Last Twenty “Death to the Jews!” Epilogue Word List